But I have to wonder, just how did they find all the video samples? A comprehensive transcript of all newscasts?

There's a company called SnapStream that has a massive cluster of DVRs that record basically everything broadcast on TV and archive it on hard drives, with the closed captioning data put into a searchable database.

The producers of the show just type in the words they are looking for and a list of showsis displayed, and then they just set the in and out points for the clip and download it from SnapStream.

But I have to wonder, just how did they find all the video samples? A comprehensive transcript of all newscasts?

There's a company called SnapStream that has a massive cluster of DVRs that record basically everything broadcast on TV and archive it on hard drives, with the closed captioning data put into a searchable database.

[cdn.arstechnica.net image 640x515]

The producers of the show just type in the words they are looking for and a list of showsis displayed, and then they just set the in and out points for the clip and download it from SnapStream.

Here's a pretty in-depth article about how the system works.

So basically there is a tool to pull the clips but still requires a lot of work in the editing booth to make it all work right.

But I have to wonder, just how did they find all the video samples? A comprehensive transcript of all newscasts?

There's a company called SnapStream that has a massive cluster of DVRs that record basically everything broadcast on TV and archive it on hard drives, with the closed captioning data put into a searchable database.

[cdn.arstechnica.net image 640x515]

The producers of the show just type in the words they are looking for and a list of showsis displayed, and then they just set the in and out points for the clip and download it from SnapStream.

Here's a pretty in-depth article about how the system works.

30 TB of storage seems insufficient for the task, but they probably get to skip the commercials.

LessO2:jdjoker: LessO2: And herein lies the difference. When was the last time you ever saw Jay Leno trending on both Facebook and Twitter the morning after?

Both mornings after his "final" shows?

Yeah, so it takes Leno signing off for good after 22 years to make it, and Fallon does it on night number three with a 90-second bit.

To be fair, Facebook did not exist for 13 of those 22 years, Twitter for 15 of the 22 years, and neither of them have been all that big except for the past 5. You're gonna hold it against Jay Leno that he did not trend on something that did not exist?

JW:LessO2: jdjoker: LessO2: And herein lies the difference. When was the last time you ever saw Jay Leno trending on both Facebook and Twitter the morning after?

Both mornings after his "final" shows?

Yeah, so it takes Leno signing off for good after 22 years to make it, and Fallon does it on night number three with a 90-second bit.

To be fair, Facebook did not exist for 13 of those 22 years, Twitter for 15 of the 22 years, and neither of them have been all that big except for the past 5. You're gonna hold it against Jay Leno that he did not trend on something that did not exist?

Good point.

Still, take those five years and compare it with Fallon's third night.

JW:LessO2: jdjoker: LessO2: And herein lies the difference. When was the last time you ever saw Jay Leno trending on both Facebook and Twitter the morning after?

Both mornings after his "final" shows?

Yeah, so it takes Leno signing off for good after 22 years to make it, and Fallon does it on night number three with a 90-second bit.

To be fair, Facebook did not exist for 13 of those 22 years, Twitter for 15 of the 22 years, and neither of them have been all that big except for the past 5. You're gonna hold it against Jay Leno that he did not trend on something that did not exist?

LessO2:JW: LessO2: jdjoker: LessO2: And herein lies the difference. When was the last time you ever saw Jay Leno trending on both Facebook and Twitter the morning after?

Both mornings after his "final" shows?

Yeah, so it takes Leno signing off for good after 22 years to make it, and Fallon does it on night number three with a 90-second bit.

To be fair, Facebook did not exist for 13 of those 22 years, Twitter for 15 of the 22 years, and neither of them have been all that big except for the past 5. You're gonna hold it against Jay Leno that he did not trend on something that did not exist?

Good point.

Still, take those five years and compare it with Fallon's third night.

Sure. He wanted out in 2009 though, he was mostly done and past his time then. Got it back because Conan wasn't bringing in ratings. Hard to compare Leno's past 5 years to anything, it was the lowest point of his career and he'd lost whatever "it" factor he had.

ERNesbitt:Brilliant bit/execution... but it was still probably pitched by a writer in a meeting and not by Fallon. (... and from 1979 as stated above.)

Even if he does that's how the pecking order works. Everyone praises Steve jobs like he made the iPhone himself. People at the top get all of the praise even though it's the people under them that do all the work.

Before I clicked on this I thought it was going to be the two of them actually doing the rap themselves. Brian Williams has enough of a sense of humor that it's not out of the realm of possibility.This was cool enough that I was not disappointed.

JW:LessO2: jdjoker: LessO2: And herein lies the difference. When was the last time you ever saw Jay Leno trending on both Facebook and Twitter the morning after?

Both mornings after his "final" shows?

Yeah, so it takes Leno signing off for good after 22 years to make it, and Fallon does it on night number three with a 90-second bit.

To be fair, Facebook did not exist for 13 of those 22 years, Twitter for 15 of the 22 years, and neither of them have been all that big except for the past 5. You're gonna hold it against Jay Leno that he did not trend on something that did not exist?

Sadly, I'm old enough to remember when Johnny Carson still had the Tonight Show, and Leno was never as good as he was.

That said, Leno was never as good as this, either. This is the best thing I've seen in years, hands down. Fallon deserves the accolades for this because it's damned funny and plain awesome in a way that nothing Leno did ever was.

styckx:And this is why Fallon will be sitting in that chair for 20 years.

LessO2: When was the last time you ever saw Jay Leno trending on both Facebook and Twitter the morning after? Please stop giving credit to a talking face when the it's writers and artists out there that give the show, any show, its actual value.

styckx: And this is why Fallon will be sitting in that chair for 20 years.

LessO2: When was the last time you ever saw Jay Leno trending on both Facebook and Twitter the morning after? Please stop giving credit to a talking face when the it's writers and artists out there that give the show, any show, its actual value.

God-is-a-Taco:Please stop giving credit to a talking face when the it's writers and artists out there that give the show, any show, its actual value.

You're not really winning points with anyone. I'm aware that Jimmy Fallon himself did not find the clips, edit them into the video, and play the bass and drums. But it's the Jimmy Fallon Tonight Show which created and hosted it. So, for your pedantic needs, I correct myself: "+1 to the Jimmy Fallon Tonight Show!"

Yep, I think I've watched it 3 or 4 times today, re-shared it once, texted the link to a friend, and plan to show it to my wife when she gets home. THIS is the full extent of my social media life, I don't share stuff any more than this... This shiat was fun to watch, well put together, and funny as hell.

The problem I've seen with both Fallon and Leno is that they won't STFU when interviewing people. They were always trying to interject something about themselves instead of letting the guest finish their stories.

styckx:ERNesbitt: Brilliant bit/execution... but it was still probably pitched by a writer in a meeting and not by Fallon. (... and from 1979 as stated above.)

Am I the only one who finds him unfunny? I didn't think he was that great on SNL either. (I have the same thoughts on Will Ferrell.)

Highly doubt it.. Fallon completely `gets' what creates a buzz, he is completely in tune with online culture and on top of that he's a fantastic entertainer.

Take this for example from Night #2 -

Fallon just `gets it' and always has if you ever watched his Late Show. His finger has been on the pulse of `what's cool' for years.

I just don't feel that being "in tune" with a culture of two minute YouTube clips and Buzzfeed headlines makes a great entertainer. I've caught his late show and been mostly unimpressed (more of a Craig Ferguson fan, I guess). Media has been degraded to sound bites and animated gifs with headlines like "Secrets to this Fukushima man's glowing complexion" and "19 unbelievable Ukrainian buildings"; I just don't see the entertainment in it. Not my cup of tea, I guess. But if other people like what he's doing... more power to him.